


Pearls

by Kizzy



Category: Steven Universe - Fandom
Genre: Blue Diamond's Court, Court Politics, Drabble, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-14
Updated: 2016-01-14
Packaged: 2018-05-13 22:32:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,137
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5719456
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kizzy/pseuds/Kizzy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tensions are running high in Blue Diamond's court in the aftermath of Sapphire's escape. Blue Pearl may have found a new source of disobedience.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Pearls

**Author's Note:**

  * For [TardisAtHogwarts](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TardisAtHogwarts/gifts).



> This was written as part of a story exchange with TardisAtHogwarts! After seeing the latest Steven Bomb, I had so much trouble deciding what to write about, but I absolutely loved the Blue Pearl's design, and I wanted to explore my love of stories about courtly politics in here, particularly from the perspective of someone in Blue Pearl's position.

Sapphire had never been a conspicuous part of Blue Diamond’s court. She was diminutive in both stature and personality. Her stoicism was something that many gems in Blue Diamond’s inner circle tried to imitate, but few others took notice of her.

Her absence, however, felt like a strange, invisible wound in everyone’s lives. Each gem felt its sore edges as they went about their daily lives, but no one wanted to aggravate it. And it wasn’t healing.

Blue Pearl peered through the thick fringe of her hair, watching the careful movements of the Quartzes gathered around the low table. Four of the plush pillows were empty. Beside one of them, a Lilac Pearl cradled the gem of an Amethyst, watching its glittering facets. A Citrine tapped her fingers on her knee, her eyes darting around. Blue Diamond tilted her head slightly toward the Citrine, and the tapping immediately stopped.

“You are all my most competent warriors,” Blue Diamond murmured. She almost never raised her deep, lilting voice, but no one ever had a problem hearing her. “So which of you wants to tell me why I am still meeting… _difficulties_ with completing construction?” Even though it was concealed beneath her hood, each Quartz could feel the frostbite of her gaze. “This planet is nearly a dozen solar cycles behind schedule. I will need to sell it to Yellow Diamond for use in one of her war machines if I cannot complete it soon.” There was a crackle of thunder in her words. “So, why am I still having to deal with these rebels’ meddling?”

The table remained quiet. Several of them glanced toward the empty seats or the Lilac Pearl, who was still devotedly waiting for her Amethyst’s reformation. Finally, an Agate cleared her throat.

“My Diamond…we have been searching for Rose Quartz. However, it is…well, a rather large planet, and it’s mostly covered in very deep oceans. If we had more Lapis Lazuli available to help trawl the oceans, then our search may be more successful.”

Blue Diamond raised a delicate finger to her chin, tapping it pensively. Her Pearl edged closer to the throne. “I did not realize you were poorly staffed, Agate 1T6F/8SD. I do need all of my Lapis Lazuli for construction of the Lunar Sea Spire. In fact, I was thinking of pulling yours away until the Spire is completed. How certain are you that the rebellion is headquartered in the Earth’s oceans?”

Blue Pearl clasped her hands in front of her stomach. The Quartzes around the table settled into talk about tactics and strategy. As usual, Pearl let her mind drift away. Military talk was neither useful nor appealing to Pearls. They had another purpose. She let her eyes rove the table, studying the faces of each Quartz. She took note of every hint of hesitation, each grimace or subtle shake of the head. Insubordination betrayed itself in the moments when you thought no one was looking at you.

Then she saw the Lilac Pearl. Her grip had tightened on the gem in her hands. The Pearl’s eyes were roving quickly between the speakers at the table. Blue Pearl’s own attention snapped back to what her superiors were discussing.

“Rose Quartz draws her greatest powers from manipulation of organic life—plant life in particular,” a Jasper rumbled. “While there is no dearth of life in the oceans, there are few plants. It seems unlikely that she would base herself in such an environment.”

“This is true, but I believe you are giving her too much credit,” a Citrine countered. “She keeps her army to incredibly low numbers—even though she has wrested control of a Kindergarten.” There was a rippling grimace around the table—no one wanted to be reminded of that failure. The Citrine quickly recovered. “My point is simply that she keeps her numbers low to increase her ability to hide away like a coward. She and her… _Pearl_ would surely see the immense potential of the oceans as a hiding place.”

The Lilac Pearl’s eyes widened at the mention of Rose Quartz’s Pearl. So that’s what she was interested in. Blue Pearl closed her eyes for a moment. She had seen her only a few days before, even if it was through the lattice of Blue Diamond’s palanquin. Her pale gem glimmered almost as brightly as the swords she swung with elegant expertise. She had melded the natural grace of a Pearl with the fierce fencing of any of the Quartzes at this table. Blue Pearl’s eyes snapped open. She felt a quick, fluttering pulsation in her gem and immediately held her hand to it in an attempt to calm it down. This Pearl was dangerous in many ways.

Blue Pearl waited until the Quartzes were dismissed. She slipped away from Blue Diamond’s side without notice. She followed the Lilac Pearl, weaving silently among the crowds that loitered around the Cloud Arena. As she had expected, the Lilac Pearl returned to her Amethyst’s quarters. Blue Pearl seemed to melt out of a passing flock of Lapis Lazuli just as the door to the quarters was closing. Lilac Pearl froze, her face half-shadowed as she peered through the door. Blue Pearl pushed past her and waved her hand, indicating that the door should be closed. Lilac quickly complied.

“I was watching you at the meeting, Lilac.”

“I…should have known.” She quickly set her Amethyst down on a massive pillow.

“I believe that we both know that your thoughts have become…dangerous.” Blue Pearl touched her hand to her gem. “You must put all thoughts of Rose Quartz’s Pearl from your mind. She is the perfect image of chaos. A Pearl wielding a weapon is an abomination.”

“I know.” Lilac Pearl crumpled slowly to her knees, her own hands clutched to the gem on her stomach. “But…I _saw_ her. Up close, even as she was—” Lilac glanced over to the glittering Amethyst. “And…it was amazing. She saw me, and I threw my hands over my gem, and…she brushed past me. I wish I had—” She covered her own mouth with a hand. Blue Pearl’s mouth was drawn into a hard line.

“You know your place, Lilac. I am giving you a gift with this warning. We both know how easily a Pearl is crushed. And replaced.” She opened the door and slipped out once more, into the crush of gems moving toward the Arena.

Lilac Pearl took a shaky breath. She closed her eyes. Her gem warmed, and when she opened her eyes once again, she saw the projected image that had surged into every corner of her mind over the last few days: a Pearl, her sword thrust before her, staring down her pointed nose with a soft pity in her eyes.


End file.
